Sangakkara's team-mates are carrying him around the ground shoulder high. What a lovely moment.

5.28pm BST

Sangakkara ends unbeaten on 52, having guided Sri Lanka through those nervous waters. A brilliant innings, a minor classic. The gamble with Thisera Perera paid off, with his two sixes the ket shots. And after those four final defeats who would begrudge Sri Lanka this moment. For the first time since 1996 Sri Lanka are world champions!

5.26pm BST

Sri Lanka win the World Twenty20!

Ashwin's final over. Sangakkara slogs … and edges over the keeper for four! And a sweep also finds the rope! Sangakkara is signing off with a matchwinning knock, a tournament-winning knock. AND PERERA CLUBS THE WINNING RUNS BACK OVER ASHWIN'S HEAD!

Mishra once more. Sangakkara spots the gap in the field and manufactures a drive over the covers for four. That was quite brilliant. That leaves Sri Lanka with 23 to get from 23 balls. Perera sets himself … and carts another huge six down to cow corner. Then … dropped! Another hoik top-edges up and having made the ground Rahane can't hold on to a diving catch. This should surely be Sri Lanka's now. Surely. Surely …

Ashwin returns. Sangakarra plays the subtlest of subtle leg glances to tickle the ball to the fine leg boundary. But then come the dots. Every time Sri Lanka look like they're going to get away, an Indian bowler finds some magic.

How Sri Lanka would love a couple of boundaries. They get a wide from Mishra, a single from Sangakkara … AND THEN A MONUMENTAL SIX FROM PERERA! What a strike, high over long on. Then Sangakkara sweeps for four more! That could be the nerve-settler that they needed.

Mishra beats a dubiously groping push from Perera, who is a bit of a biffer but might struggle to cope with Mishra's mystery.

5.08pm BST

WICKET! Thirimanne c Dhoni b Mishra 7 (India 78-4)

Sri Lanka are wobbling, wobbling, wobbling. Mishra returns with his leg spin. Sangakkara sweeps for a couple then cuts for another, but then Thirimanne sends a feather of a bottom edge through to Dhoni.

So Jayawardene departs the international T20 arena with 24 from 24 balls. Not enough to put Sri Lanka in a dominant position. Thirimanne edges his first wide of slip for four .

5.00pm BST

WICKET! Jayawardene c Ashwin b Raina 24 (Sri Lanka 63-3)

Any other team or any other situation and you'd make the batting side huge favourites here. But this is Sri Lanka and this is a world final. Raina continues and Jayawardene plays one of the shots of the day. It was a caress to third man, a proper caress. The ball must've traveled to the boundary with a lovely warm feeling inside so delicate was his touch. But next up he's gone! This is a huge wicket! A slog-sweep goes wrong and picks out Ashwin at midwicket.

Shot! Jadeja comes into the attack. Sangakkara sweeps sweetly for four then viciously for six. What a strike that was. A single from the next takes the keeper to 15 – his highest score of the tournament.

Suresh Raina then. Sangakkara squirts a horrible pull high into the Dhaka sky … but it drops safe. Raina rattles through the over, giving away only a couple of ones and twos. This is tightening like a tourniquet.

Sangakkara, who has scored 19 in four innings in the tournament thus far, joins Jayawardene for his farewell T20 appearance. This could be emotional.

4.46pm BST

WICKET! Dilshan c Kohli b Ashwin 18 (Sri Lanka 41-2)

Ravi Ashwin, India's leading wicket taker in the tournament, comes into the attack … and he's nabbed an 11th victim. He drags one short and gets belted to the square leg boundary by Dilshan but then a slog-sweep picks out Kohli on the boundary.

Updated at 4.47pm BST

4.42pm BST

5th over: Sri Lanka 37-1 (Jayawardene 17, Dilshan 14)

Interestingly Kumar continues. Dhoni is keeping his spinners back. With the man at slip taken out and the keeper up to the stumps, Jayawardene craftily edges fine for four. Then a top edge flies over Dhoni for four more. He didn't much about that, but the force seems to be with Sri Lanka at the moment. Ten from the over. Sri Lanka need another 94 off 90 balls.

4.38pm BST

4th over: Sri Lanka 27-1 (Jayawardene 8, Dilshan 14)

Mohit Sharma thumps down a bouncer … which is guided beautifully over the keeper's head for four by Jayawardene. A delicate single is flicked away from the next, then Sharma drops too short and too straight to Dilshan, who pulls hard for four more. From the next an inside edge, flashes past the stumps and down to fine leg for four more! Fifteen in all off the over.

4.33pm BST

3rd over: Sri Lanka 12-1 (Jayawardene 2, Dilshan 5)

Sri Lanka feel edgy. They know this is their's to lose. And they also know about the four final defeats. This will help – Kumar strays to Dilshan's pads and gets clipped away to backward square leg for his trouble. This won't – the ball bounces back off Dhoni's pads and takes the bails. Cue raucous noise from the crowd. He quickly tells the umpire what happens, but that sort of thing won't help Sri Lanka settle.

Updated at 4.44pm BST

4.28pm BST

2nd over: Sri Lanka 8-1 (Jayawardene 2, Dilshan 1)

I've just spotted that Dilshan lost a record during that India innings. The record for the most runs scored by a batsmen in a World Twenty20 tournament was the 317 scored by Dilshan in 2009. Kohli has scored 319 in this edition. Back to the present, Dilshan and Jayawardene both get off the mark from their first deliveries. Three from the over.

4.24pm BST

WICKET! T Perera c Jadeja b Sharma 5 (Sri Lanka 5-1)

This is ugly. Perera, who has been looking to hit the leather off the ball, attempts to pull Mohit Sharma's first ball but can only skew into the air. Jadeja takes the catch at mid off, which tells you how badly miscued that was.

4.22pm BST

1st over: Sri Lanka 5-0 (K Perera 5, Dilshan 0)

Kumar kicks things off for India. From the second ball of the innings, Perera pulls hard from outside off for four through square leg. That was some shot. Kumar responds well by beating him outside off then drifting one back in to his ribs then beating him outside off again.

4.19pm BST

The countdown …

… and off we go!

4.06pm BST

Sri Lanka need 131 to win the World Twenty20

We were denied what might have been one of the great cup final innings there. Kohli just could not get on strike. You can point the finger at Yuvraj (and with some justification) but the death bowling was some of the best you're ever likely to see in a T20.

20th over: India 130-4 (Dhoni 4)

This wide yorker plan is working like a dream. Another dot as the Sri Lanka captain Malinga beats his Indian counterpart. The next, though, is too wide. Wide wide. The next – another toecrusher – beats bat and keeper. The batsmen sprint two byes. Dhoni slogs … and misses. He has one run from five balls. Three deliveries to come. The first is dug out for a couple, the next chiseled out for a single. So Kohli will face the final ball, having faced only 57 balls despite being there since the second over. Another sensational yorker is blocked away again, and Kohli is run out for 77 coming back for a second.

Geoff Lemon Sport (@GeoffLemonSport)

Dhoni swinging himself off his feet. Haven't seen India rattled like this for a long time. #WT20

19th over: India 123-3 (Dhoni 1, Kohli 76)

The captain sends himself up the order, but the batsmen crossed so it's Kohli on strike. He can only
manouvre
manuovre
manouver
work a single away. As can Dhoni. This is a great over from Kulasekera. Another wide yorker at Dhoni brings another dot. A couple more singles keep the scoreboard ticking around, but it's superb bowling from Sri Lanka again. Overs 17, 18 and 19 have yielded a grand total of 12 runs for India.

3.54pm BST

WICKET! Yuvraj Singh c T Perera b Kulasekara 11 (India 119-3)

This is probably a good thing for India. Yuvraj fails to time a huge full toss and plants it straight into the hands of the man at long off. Eleven of 21 balls. A bit of a shocker really for the India No4.

18th over: India 119-2 (Yuvraj 11, Kohli 74)

Malinga to Dhoni. A single. Malinga to Yuvraj. A dot. This partnership encapsulated somewhat. But with Malinga on-target even Kohli can't puncture the field. But at least he can lay bat on ball. A single off the last means he keeps the strike.

3.47pm BST

17th over: India 115-2 (Yuvraj 9, Kohli 72)

Senanayake trots in for his final over. Yuvraj, who has struggled to get him off the square, scuffs the first to a fielder and misses the second completely. The third is a difficult caught-and-bowled chance that stings the hands and dribbles away for a single. No Kohli, no party. Just four from the over.

3.44pm BST

16th over: India 111-2 (Yuvraj 7, Kohli 70)

Kulasekara returns and sends down a length ball that Kohli effortlessly dismisses over the top for six, barely deigning to look at the thing as it disappears over the rope. Then an wonderfully imperious drive through the covers brings four more. The third ball is a shorter effort … but Kohli pulls it for four, the ball just dropping over the backpeddling man at deep midwicket. Fourteen from the first three balls. Another clubbing blow straight down the ground gives him a single. Yuvraj drives for another, bringing Kohli back on strike for the final ball of the over … which is well bowled by Kulasekara, who sends down a wide yorker that evades Kohli's attempted drive.

15th over: India 95-2 (Yuvraj 6, Kohli 55)

What should India be looking at here? 160 at least you would think. Senanyake comes on for his third twirl. And it's another cracking over, just two singles from it. Yuvraj is struggling to get the ball away – his six runs have come off 11 balls.

3.36pm BST

14th over: India 93-2 (Yuvraj 5, Kohli 54)

Malinga, with three overs remaining, brings himself back in to the attack. He looks to sneak in a couple of yorkers, but Kohli steers him away to the cover boundary for a single that brings up his half-century. It's come off 43 balls. And he adds for more to that tally from the last, chopping a wide yorker down to fine third man.

13th over: India 83-2 (Yuvraj 3, Kohli 46)

Herath's final over. And Kohli has warmed up now – a thunking strike for six zips over long on. He moves on to 46 off 40 balls, despite being tied down for much of the innings.

3.27pm BST

12th over: India 73-2 (Yuvraj 2, Kohli 38)

Senanayake once more. Kolhi prods away a couple more dots then looks for the big hit. Once more he doesn't get hold of it, but he underhits it enough that it drops short of the man on the rope, who actually makes a very fine fingertip save to prevent the boundary. This is more like it, though – a drive timed sweetly through the covers for four.

3.24pm BST

11th over: India 65-2 (Yuvraj 1, Kohli 31)

"Is it just me who really, really wants Sri Lanka to win purely to enable Englishmen everywhere to say 'Well we beat them in the group stages so actually ...'?" writes Tom Adams. Yuvraj gets off the mark but it's the only run off a very fine over.

3.23pm BST

WICKET! Sharma c Senanayake b Herath 29 (India 64-2)

Herath yelps an appeal after thwocking Sharma on the pad. The umpire shakes his head, but next ball the spinner has his man. Sharma gives himself room, but a subtle change of pace is enough to send his drive into the hands of Senanayake as a shortish extra cover.

10th over: India 64-1 (R Sharma 29, Kohli 31)

This is beginning to get a little worrying for India. Mathews is going to bowl out here. Sharma finally breaks the shackles with a slashing drive that rattles away to the cover boundary in the blink of an eye. Kohli, summoning the rage of a caged beast, flails the final ball of the over to cow corner for a huge six, doing so with the air of a man who would be quite happy never to see that ball ever again.

3.16pm BST

9th over: India 50-1 (R Sharma 23, Kohli 23)

Herath continues. Kolhi, looking a little frustrated now, skips down the track and looks to send the ball into the stratosphere but can only skew it straight at a fielder. Twice. Just three from a very tight over.

3.14pm BST

8th over: India 47-1 (R Sharma 23, Kohli 21)

Mathews returns. Sharma baseball-bats awkwardly over the top for a couple, but it's another crafty over from the seamer. Mathews now has figures of 3-0-11-1.

3.10pm BST

7th over: India 41-1 (R Sharma 19, Kohli 19)

Oh, Kohli should be back in the hutch! Herath drags one down, the India No3 pulls but doesn't get hold of it at all and the Sri Lanka captain, at short midwicket, can't hold on to the catch. It wasn't a dolly, but it was very catchable. Kohli celebrates the reprieve by skipping down the pitch and lofting a full-fat double-cream drive over the top for six.

3.07pm BST

6th over: India 31-1 (R Sharma 17, Kohli 11)

Malinga, having made an impression on the forearm of his spinner, now looks to make an impression on the batsmen. The atmosphere cranks up another notch in intensity. I think I'm right in saying that 22 of 24 deliveries against England were yorkers or attempted yorkers, but he's mixed things up a bit more as the tournament has gone on. It's enough to restrict the batsmen until the last ball of the over, which is clubbed away for four by Sharma.

3.01pm BST

5th over: India 23-1 (R Sharma 11, Kohli 9)

Spin for the first time – Senanayake into the attack. He drags down an ugly half-tracker. Sharma pivots and pulls high and handsome for a one-bounce four. Three more are tickled away off the next – that's eight of the first three balls of the over – then we nearly have a run out, with Sharma forced into a u-turn mid-pitch. A direct hit would've seen him back in the pavilion, but Malinga could only smack the bowler painfully on the wrist with his throw.

2.58pm BST

4th over: India 14-1 (R Sharma 4, Kohli 7)

Mathews continues. Kohli and Sharma work the singles again. Again Sangakkara dons the helmet and comes up to the stumps midway through the over. Three singles and three dots. Sri Lanka will be happy enough with this so far.

2.54pm BST

3rd over: India 11-1 (R Sharma 2, Kohli 6)

Kulasekara sends down a length ball outside off – Kohli, whose average when batting first in T20s is something like 60 runs fewer than when chasing, whips him away through midwicket for the first boundary of the innings. And the batsmen add to the tally with a couple of singles.

2.50pm BST

2nd over: India 5-1 (R Sharma 1, Kohli 1)

So, welcome to the World Twenty20 final Virat Kohli. He strides out with the air of a man walking into his domain, as he does every time he comes to the crease. I think the phrase you are looking for is "man-crush". He gets off the mark from the last, robbing Mathews of a wicket maiden. But that's just the start Sri Lanka wanted.

2.47pm BST

WICKET! Rahane b Mathews 3 (India 4-1)

The atmosphere out in Mirpur is, like Bob Dylan after the 1965 Newport Folk Festival, electric. And it's just gone up another notch. Angelo Mathews gets the new ball at the other end and sends down two dots at Rahane. That piles on the pressure, pushing Rahane into a big pull shot from the next. He gets a bottom edge and the bails light up like a Terminator's eyes.

2.44pm BST

1st over: India 4-0 (R Sharma 1, Rahane 3)

The often-underrated Kulasekara kicks things off the with ball for Sri Lanka. A huge roar goes up as he steams in to Sharma, who flicks an inswinger away for a single to get India off the mark. After a couple of dots, Rahane also gets off the mark thanks to a streaky outside edge that squirts square of the wicket and beats two tumbling fielders. Next up, though, he has a airy waft outside off as Kulasekara finds a little movement away from the right-hander. The last is flicked away for another single. Four from the over.

2.37pm BST

Several months later …

… the Sri Lankan anthem finally finishes. Right then, off we go!

2.35pm BST

Out come the teams

The players line up for the anthems, India first then Sri Lanka.

2.35pm BST

Meanwhile at Trent Bridge …

… Jimmy Anderson has bowled a post-lunch spell of 6-3-9-1. He's not bad at this time of year in England. You can get all the county news right here, with the live blog that is the greatest sleeper hit since Sale of the Century.

2.32pm BST

A quick history lesson

These sides have met five times in T20 internationals – India are 3-2 up thus far. The pattern is quite interesting, though –India win, Sri Lanka win, India win, Sri Lanka win, India win. It's also amazing how quickly T20 teams evolve – from the last meeting between the sides, in August 2012, six players remain from the India team and seven from Sri Lanka.

2.15pm BST

The teams

Thisara Perera comes back in for Sri Lanka, with Seekkuge Prasanna the unfortunate man to make way. That could well be simply down to the conditions. India, on the other hand, are unchanged.

The toss

Lasith Malinga, in his third game as captain, strides out alongside MS Dhoni, in his 3,456,239th game as captain. And Sri Lanka have won the toss. Malinga says they are going to have a bowl. So India are denied the chance to chase, and Mahela Jayawardene and Kumar Sangakkara, in their final T20 matches, will have the chance to go out on the highest note possible.

Updated at 2.12pm BST

2.04pm BST

Virat Kohli: multi-talented

Australia's Ellyse Perry is a dual international, having played international football for Australia as well as cricket. Judging by this picture, it looks like Virat Kohli can look after himself on the football pitch too. Nice body shape …

India players Virat Kohli and Ravindra Jadeja play football during a training session in Dhaka on 5 April. Photograph: Punit Paranjpe/AFP/Getty Images

1.50pm BST

Rainy-day reading

With play still an hour away, can I direct you to some classic cricket writing in the shape of some vintage Joy of Six pieces: